Retrieving mechanism



Sept. 17, 1940.

H. BOSCH. JR

RETRIEVING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 XTTORNEY.

7 Sept. l7, 1940. x H. BOSCH, JR v 4,

RE TRIEVING MECHANISM Fil ed Dec. 8, 193': z Sheets-Sheet z VIII,"

Patented Sept. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination storage and retrieving mechanism for extension cords and like members, and especially to improvements and modifications in the structure disclosed in my former Patent No. 2,010,006, en-

titled Retrieving mechanism, issued August 6,

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and to provide an improved storage device for the extensible cord, said storage device being in the form of a tube which may be built into a partition or other structure or secured to the exterior 15 surface thereof, said tube also functioning as a track or guide member for a retrieving and looking mechanism, and also as a cooperating member for the lock; to provide a split cap or cover to close the upper end of the tube, said cap also. 20 functioning as a clamp or anchor member for one end of the cord, and as a guide for the free extensible end of the cord; and further, to provide a wedge actuated retrieving and locking mechanism.

The invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a retrieving mechanism, showing it applied to the end of an ofiice desk or like piece of furniture for the purpose of retrieving a telephone extension cord;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of half of the cap;

Fig. 3 is a section of the upper end of the tube and cap taken on line IIIIII, Fig. 4;

35 Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line IV-IV,

Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an end View of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section similar to Fig. 3 showing one end of the cap extended to receive and clamp a wiring conduit;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken on line VII-VII of Fi 6;

Fig. 8 is an end view of Fig. 6 showing the conduit end of the cap;

45 Fig 9 is a perspective view of the lower end of the tube;

Fig. 10 is a central vertical section of the retrieving and locking mechanism, showing the locking mechanism in locked position;

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the locking mechanism in releasedposition;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the rod from which the weight of the retrieving mechanism is 55 suspended, said view also showing the cam and the bracket upon which the sheave is journaled;

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of the weight used in conjunction with the retrieving mechanism, one side of the weight being broken away, said view also showing the cam actuated locking roller operation of devices of the character described;

and the manner in which it is secured with relation to the weight;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the cap and the upper end of the tube showing the cap assembled and ready for insertion in the upper end of the tube; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view showing another application or use of the retrieving mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly Figs. 1 to 9, A indicates a housing which in this instance is in the form of a tube which is rectangular shaped in cross-section as shown in Fig. 9. The tube may be of any suitable length, depending upon the length of the extension cord to be employed, but it will be usually slightly longer than half the length of the extensible portion of the cord. The tube serves two main functions, first, that of a storage compartment or receptacle for the extension cord indicated at 2, and secondly, that of a guide and container for a retrieving and locking unit generally indicated at B. The upper end of the tube is closed by a cap 0, and this functions, first, as a closure for the upper end of the tube, and secondly, as an anchor member for one end of the extension cord and as a guide for the free or extensible end of the cord. The cap is preferably made up of two complementary half sections, one of which is shown in perspective in Fig. 2. The adjoining or contacting faces of the cap are grooved or provided with depressed surfaces at opposite ends as indicated at 3 and 4, the depression 3 serving the function of receiving and clamping one end of the cord as indicated at 2a (see Fig 3), and the depression in the opposite end beingv somewhat funnelshaped to form a guide opening through which the free or extensible end 2b of the cord extends. A portion of each half of the cap fits and extends into the upper end of the tube when the two halves are placed together and inserted therein, and a central portion is further extended as indicated at 6 and is provided with an opening I which registers with similar openings la in the upper end of the tube to permit insertion of a screw such as shown at 8 (see Fig. 4). To pass the cord through the cap, it is only necessary to separate it into two halves, then to loop the cord as shown in Fig. 1,- and then to place the ends thereof in the depressions 3 and 4 formed in the surface of one half of the cap, the cords assuming the position shown in Fig. 3. After that is done, the other half section of the cap is applied with its complementary depressed surfaces in register with the cord ends. The two halves are then pressed together, and the cap as a unit is inserted in the upper end of the tube as shown in Fig. 14. If the tube is to be secured to the end of an oflioe desk as shown in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to insert the screw 8 through the openings provided for it and to screw it into the end of the desk. This secures the cap against removal, and at the same time secures the upper end of the tube to the desk, the lower end then being secured by a clamping band or any other suitable means as shown at 9 in Fig. 1. In these drawings, the retrieving and storing device is shown as used in connection with the extension cord of a telephone, and when arranged as shown in that figure, it is only necessary to grasp the telephone and exert a slight pull on the cord to extend it as far as desired, as the extensible end 2b of the cord pays out freely through the opening 4 in the cap when pull is exerted.

To lock the cord in the extended position, and thereafter to retrieve it when a telephone conversation is completed, it is necessary to employ a retrieving and locking unit such as indicated at B. This is best shown in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive. It

- consists of a weight I0 having two upwardly extending side sections II, one of which is broken away in Fig. 13. A groove or guideway I2 is formed in the inner face of one side section II, while the inner face of the opposite side section may be smooth. These side sections are spaced apart to form a slot of sufficient width to permit a crossbar I3 to move freely up and down therein, as will hereinafter be described.

A shoe I4 is formed on one end ofthe crossbar I3, and a cam I5 on the opposite end. The shoe the slot I2.

.cam I5, and the rod I9.

l4, the crossbar I3 and the cam I5, together, form a wedge the function of which will hereinafter be described. An upwardly extending bracket arm I6 is secured to the crossbar, and this is guided in The upper end of the bracket arm I6 carries a pin I'I upon which is journaled a sheave I8. Also secured to the crossbar is a downwardly extending rod I9. This extends through an opening 20 formed in the lower portion of the weight, said opening having enlarged portions 2| and 22 to receive a spring 23 and a washer 24, said washer being secured on the rod by means of a cotter pin or the like indicated at 25. Extending through the side sections I I of the weight is a pin 26, and freely rotatable thereon is a ring or roller 21. The opening in the roller is sufiiciently large to permit it to move vertically and to swing about the pin, as will hereinafter be described.

The sheave I 8, the bracket I6, the cross bar I3, the shoe I4, the cam I5 and the rod I9 form one part of the retrieving mechanism, and the weight, together with its side members II, the second part, the spring 23 the third part, and the cam actuated roller 21 the fourth part. The sheave is suspended from the lower looped end of the cord as the cord passes around it. The bracket I6, crossbar I3, and rod I9 are in turn suspended from the sheave, and the weight, consisting of the members It! and I I, is in turn suspended from the rod as it rests upon the spring 23. This spring yields under certain conditions and thereby causes a relative movement between the rod and the weight, this relative movement being important, as it is depended upon to either wedge the roller 21 between the cam and one side wall of the housing, or to free it with relation thereto.

In Fig. 10, the roller is shown in its locked posiactual operation, let it be supposed that a pull is exerted on the telephone extension cord shown in Fig. 1. If that is the case, an upward pull of the cord will pull the sheave I8 upwardly, and with it the bracket IS, the crossbar I3, the shoe I4, the During this upward movement, the cam I5 moves away from the rollwith the rest of the mechanism. The weight, to-- gether with the locking mechanism, will thus move freely and upwardly through the tube as the cord is being extended. The moment the pull on the cord is released, the Weight will tend to retrieve the cord, and as long as yielding resistance is applied to the extended end of the cord, the cord will be retracted, but if all resistance is removed, the weight will tend to drop freely by gravity, and when it does so, it exerts no weight on the spring 23, and hence permits the spring to extend itself and to pull the rod I9 downwardly toward the position shown in Fig. 10. In so doing, the rod pulls the wedge downwardly against the roller 21 and forces it outwardly against the side wall of the tubular housing, thereby wedging it between the wedge and the side wall and locking the entire unit against further movement, and it will remain in this position until an upward pull is again exerted.

By applying yielding resistance to the cord as it is being retracted, the weight will continue to, exert pressure on the spring, and thereby prevent engagement of the Wedge with the roller. On the other hand, if the cord is released entirely, the weight will drop freely, thereby permitting the spring to extend itself and actuate the wedge to. lock the retrieving unit. The large hole in the roller permits the roller to swing freely about the pin 26 and also to move vertically with relation thereto, thus permitting free operation of the roller both during the wedging and the releasing operation.

The device here shown is capable ofmany usesconduit indicated at 30, such a conduit being used in connection with what is known as surface extension wiring, that is, in older buildings electric outlets for extension cords are usually comparatively few and far apart. Such an outlet is shown at 3I It has two extension outlets 32 and 33, into either of which an extension cord may be plugged, but if it is any considerable distance be-' tween these outlets and a cabinet or table supporting electrically actuated utensils, the cord would obviously be in the way. Hence, byrunning a surface extension conduit such as shown at 30 from the outlet 3| over toward the cabinet and. then terminating it in the cap C of the retrieving and storing device shown, it is not only' possible to do away with the nuisance of an ordinary extension cord, but at the same time to house and retrieve the extension cord after it has been used. The distance from the outlet 3| to the cabinet as shown in Fig. 13 does not appear very great, but that is merely because suiiicient room is not permitted on the drawings. However, it is obvious that the distance between the outlet 3| and the cabinet might be ten feet or more, and in that case a surface extension of the" existmg Wlring mgether with a retrieving device of 7;

the character here shown, would be very advantageous.

Where the tubular housing forming the storage compartment for the extension cord is applied to an office desk or furniture of a similar character, the fastening device shown, the screw 8 and the clamping band 9, will sufiice. A similar fastening may be employed when the housing is secured to the surface of a wall as in Fig. 15, but the clamping band at the lower end may be eliminated by screwing a screw 81) into the wall and providing a slot 40 in the lower end of the tube (see Figs. '7 and 9) which may be slipped over the screw head. This provides a simple method of securing the lower end of the tube.

This cap, as previously stated, is preferably split, or in other words, made in two halves which may be assembled and inserted as a single unit in the upper end of the tube, this being important as it eliminates threading of the cord through the cap.

ing of one end of the cord between the two halves when they are brought together and inserted in the tube. Making the cap in two halves is of 7 further importance as it permits the cord to be passed through the cap without disconnecting either end of the cord from its terminal connections. For instance, if the cap were made in one piece, it would be necessary in an installation such as shown in Fig. 1 to disconnect one end of the cord either at the base of the telephone or at the bell box in order to pass it through the guide opening and clamping section of the cap. This would interfere with the circuit, that is, render it inoperative during the period of installation, and would otherwise be undesirable, as the telephone company might object to any tampering with or disconnection of their apparatus.

The retracting and locking unit is also constructed to eliminate disconnection of the cord at its terminals, as the rod and sheave may be removed from the weight by pulling out the cotter pin 25. This permits the sheave to be placed in the loop of the cord and the unit to be reassembled without any disconnection of the cord.

The retrieving and storage device has been particularly described in connection with extension cords for telephones, electrically operated cooking utensils, etc., but it may be used for microphone extension cords and many other obvious uses, andmay also be used for air hose and water hose, etc., in service stations.

While these and other features of the invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the judgement and experience of the manu facturer may dictate or other conditions may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-- l. A combination storage and retrieving apparatus for extension cords comprising an extension cord, an elongated housing, a cover member" therefor inwhich one end of the cord is anchored and from which the cord is suspended in the form of a loop with the free end of the cord extending through a guide opening in the cover to permit it to be withdrawn or retracted, a sheave in the housing suspended in the loop in the cord,

Furthermore, making the depressions 3 sufiiciently shallow permits clamping or anchora rod suspended from the sheave, a wedge secured to the rod, a weight on the rod and yieldingly supported thereon to permit relative movement between the Weight and the wedge on the rod, and a roller carried by the weight and interposed between the wedge and one wall of the housing, said wedge and roller being actuated by the relative movement between the wedge and weight and normally locking the weight, the rod, the wedge and sheave against movement with relation to the ing for the other end of the cord.

3. Inan'apparatus of the character described, a storage housing for an extension cord, said storage housing comprising an elongated tubular member, and a split cap inserted in the upper end of the tube, said cap having opposed grooved faces at one end to receive and clamp one end of a conduit and a cord extending therethrough, and the opposite end of the cap having opposed grooved faces forming a guide opening for the other end of the cord.

4. In an apparatus of the character described a storage housing for an extension cord, said storage housing comprising an elongated tubular member and a split cap inserted in the upper end of the tube, said cap having opposed grooved faces at one end to receive and clamp one end of a conduit, and the opposite end of the cap having opposed grooved faces forming a guide opening for an extension cord.

5. In an apparatus of the character described a storage housing for an extension cord, said storage housing comprising an elongated tubular member, a split cap inserted in the upper end of the tube, clamping means formed between the opposed faces of the cap to receive and clamp one end of the cord, and opposed grooves formed between the opposite faces of the cap to form a guide opening for the other end of the cord.

6. A combination storage and retrieving apparatus for extension cords, comprising an extension oord,an elongated housing,acover member therefor in which one end of the cord is anchored and from which the cord is suspended in the form of a loop, with the free end of the cord extending through a guide opening in the cover to permit the cord to be withdrawn or retracted, a sheave in the housing suspended in the loop of the cord, a rod suspended from the sheave, a wedge secured to the rod, a weight on the rod and yieldingly supported thereon to permit relative movement between the weight and the wedge on the rod, and a second wedge member carried by the weight and interposed between the first named wedge and one wall of the housing, said wedge and wedge member being actuated by relative movement between the weight and the rod upon which it is resiliently supported, said wedge and wedge member normally locking the weight, the rod and the sheave against movement with relation to the housing, but releasing said members when a null is exerted on the cord.

HENRY BOSCH, JR. 

